Arthur's choice
by Totallynewmerlinfan2013
Summary: This is my first story- basically it's about Arthur choosing between his wife and Merlin. No slash just a story I came up with when I had nothing to do in a lesson. Arthur's choice is going to affect the rest of Camelots future even if he doesn't know it and he must make the right move in a game with no rules. characters a bit OOC but hey :)
1. Chapter 1

**Authors note- Hi! Ok, so i'm actually really bad at writing but had nothing to do this evening as my friends were all doing homework. I decided to write this as its an idea I came up with when I had nothing better to do in a lesson. I know it's not very good and probably full of errors but if you have time please review, it'll help my writing for my exam. I have no idea if I'll put more depends how my school work ends up going- hope you enjoy and sorry for wasting your time on my bad writing :) Just to clarify I don't own Merlin and my story has no links to any stories with the same name or a similar idea, so if I rewrote what someone else came up with sorry but I didn't mean to :)**

Merlin blinked, he didn't know where he was but it wasn't home. The constant dripping and darkness were the obvious give aways that he was no longer in his room at home where he wanted to be.

Slowly he sat up, carefully looking around him. All there was in this room was a small stack of blankets and a tiny window located so far up the wall it gave in the smallest amount of light. He had certainly never been here, as far as he remembered that was. He searched through his foggy memory hoping for some idea or at least theory to how he ended up here, maybe a joke, or the aftermath of a battle or morgana's next plan for him to ruin.

No memory's turned to light.

...…...…...

Gwen was cold. Beyond cold, freezing in fact. Instinctively she turned to grab the sheets back from Arthur, only to grasp at nothing. Puzzled she called his name determined to regain the warmth the sheets would bring.

No response.

She rolled over. It was hard. The surface was too hard. She wasn't at home; Arthur wasn't next to her. 'Strange' she thought yet to panic. She sat up to see nothing; she blinked a few times waiting for her eyes to adjust to the lack of light around her. It definitely wasn't night, the sounds of the world outside was the expected midday tunes and yet it was dark; she puzzled.

Gwen began calling out, the fear started to bite at her heart. She started with the names closest to her 'Arthur?' 'Merlin?' 'Gaius?' Soon it grew into a full on panic. She began to scream for whatever names she could recall to be in the castle of Camelot, even names she knew would never answer, those belonging to the long deceased.

Soon the screaming evolved into loud crying. She aimlessly ran around the room hoping for an escape that she couldn't see and yet hoped was there. Eventually she sat down in the stop she had awoken in. 'Where is Arthur?' She whispered quietly to herself, he had promised to always be her protector when she needed him.

…

Arthur walked around the castle. It was normal for merlin to go missing, often going down the tavern or 'collecting herbs' or simply over sleeping, but Gwen going missing was a different matter. She would never leave the castle without letting someone know now all he had to try and do is track down that one person in the whole castle who knew where she was; a mammoth task of it's own.

Many hours later and after several circles of the castle Gwen was still missing. Now he was worried. Why would she leave? He had woken up to an empty space next to him and no one had seen her since yesterday.

He needed to find her.

'I'll stared by alerting the knights', he thought to himself, 'they will help me search, Gwen is nearly as important to them as she was to him.'

He was determined to find her.

…

Finally merlin heard a voice. He had sat there for hours, thinking about how these events had occurred. Another voice was welcoming, even one that he knew could bring as much pain as it could hope.

The door opened.

A hooded figure walked over to him. Motioned for another person to enter. Together they grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the door and into the unknown.

Merlin was pushed onto the stone floor, he raised his head. Gwen was next to him. He carefully studied the tear marks staining her face and the relived expression when she notice Merlin sitting next her; but he could still see the fear in her eyes.

Merlin stood up, not caring what eyes bore into him, he walked over to Gwen and enveloped her in a hug trying to protect her despite him being just as scared and confused. Gwen turned into Merlins chest, she needed the support of her friend, and she sensed he needed it from her as well.

A loud cough eventually drew them apart. They clutched hands like two frightened children and turned to face their audience.

Merlin drew a breath and asked the question they wanted to know 'why are we here?' He announced, 'do you not realise this is the queen of Camelot?' 'How dare you take her?!' 'You will regret your actions'

Gwen clutched Merlins arm trying to stop him shouting at the spectators, they all looked far too dangerous to be upsetting, they would hurt them both if they could.

Merlin sensed Gwen's panic at his actions. He fell into a silence.

Minutes passed before Merlins questions were answers.

'Your location cannot be disclosed to you. So where 'here' is you will not be told. However, the motives for you being here are simple. Arthur must choose between his wife and his manservant with the secret that will save Camelot. Whatever one he does not choose will die'

Gwen and Merlin looked at each other. They knew Arthur's choice would sever Camelot, and kill one of them. And yet they knew it would be a choice he had to make. They shared the same exchange of fear before Gwen's turned into one of confusion.

'What secret?' She asked the figure who had spoken, attempting to keep the fear out of her voice.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi again! :) so today's lessons proved to be just as dull as normal and to escape learning my French speaking I decided to write more of this. I don't think it's that brilliant by hope you like it anyway :)**

Arthur sat in his chair. He wanted to block out the low buzz the knights and 'honoured guests' around him were making. Gwen still hadn't been found but few were worried. It was normal for her to sneak into the lower town and help those in need; this was different.

Arthur felt fear.

He stood up and several expectant faces turned to him; the doors burst open at the same moment. 'Any sign?' He yelled across to Leon who had led in the small selection of knights.  
'No sir' he replied.

A ripple of worried chatter spread across the audience. What were they talking about?

Arthur's glance turned back to Gwen's vacant seat. He knew this wasn't normal. He needed to find her.

'What about Merlin?' He asked next, ' has he been seen?'

Once agin Leon was forced to reply with a brief 'no'.

'Get me a horse' he screamed at the now startled crowd. 'They are missing!'

'Arthur,' Gwaine said carefully, 'we will start the search tomorrow' he continued regardless of Arthur's heavy breathing, a sure sign of his anger, 'they will most likely be together, would Merlin every let any harm come to Gwen?' He queried like asking a small child. Arthur shook his head.  
'Exactly' Gwaine pressed on, 'and Gwen isn't weak either, is she?' Once again waiting for Arthur to respond to him. 'There is no point leaving now, wait until morning'

Gently the knights evacuated the crowd out of the hall, ignoring any questions they were whispering in an attempt to find out what was happening.

Arthur sank back into his chair, staring intently at where Gwen should be sat. The was aware of the knights moving in to circle him.  
'Leave' he requested simply.

The knights looked at him with brother-like care. Yet they knew to go. He needed to be alone and they needed to work out the plan for the dawn.

…

Gwen and merlin were shoved into a cell. This time together. Gwen had never received an answer to her question. The figures were no longer willing to talk. They turned almost together and left. Only leaving two heavy men to return them to the cell.

Merlin fell heavily onto the floor. As the door was swung shut Gwen moved towards him.

'Are you ok?' She asked peering around the room they had now been placed in. It was different to the one she had woke up in but yet the same depressing darkness and stale smell.

Merlin groaned, 'yes' he replied pulling himself up feeling a sharp pain shooting up hos wrist, 'just great' he thought, 'that's all I need.' He looked around the room himself, 'not the one from earlier' he sighed. Right now through Gwen needed him to be her support. 'Are you alright yourself?' He asked her.

'I'm ok' she responded, her voice weakening more than she willed it to; she inwardly cursed, she needed to be strong. Merlin was probably as scared and confused by what they had just experienced as she was.

Merlin put his arm around her. She tried to remain strong but soon gave in. 'Where are we?' She whimpered despite knowing merlin knew no more than her. 'What's going to happen?'

'I don't know' replied Merlin keeping his voice steady, 'Arthur will soon show up, and probably have a go at me for not waking him up on time' he said trying to cheer himself up just as much as he was trying to help Gwen.

'But it's a trap, they want him to choose one of us. He needs us both. Who will he choose? What will happen?,' Gwen started to let the tears fall from her eyes whilst she gushed all these questions at Merlin.

'I know, it'll be ok...' replied Merlin gently stroking Gwen's hair like she was a small child, unsure what to say next.

Hours passed. Gwen fell asleep curled up in the corner of the room. Merlin searched for a pile of blankets or even one, like he had seen in his room this morning. There was nothing. Merlin watched Gwen shiver on the cold floor. Sighing he pulled off his jacket, Arthur would kill him if he had let Gwen freeze- that was if he ever saw Arthur again- and Merlin wrapped the jacket around the sleeping Gwen.

He needed to get them out of here. But Gwen couldn't find out about his magic; how could he manage both?

And what about Gwen? What used this wasn't just a game to get Arthur drawn to here, what if they would actually make him choose? If he choose Gwen he wouldn't be able to protect Arthur from all the events that were yet to occur, Merlin needed to be at his side. But if he did choose Merlin then Arthur would be ruined, he would not be able to continue without Gwen.

It would all go wrong unless Merlin could find a way out.

Still puzzling over it he gave into the fatigue pulling at him.

**So what did you think? I need to sit down and plan what the next events are going to be rather tham sitting on my phone hoping the story ends up alright :) I will apologise again for any errors I made and if they really annoy you comment and I'll change them :) please review as I need help with my writing skills for A-levels next year :) **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi again! Sorry it's been ages since I put anything up (well ages in my mind) :) I finally worked out where this story is actually going and this is what I came up with. However, my friend also came up with an amazing and confusing idea that I'll probably also write. This will probably mean I end up with 2 of these stories! :) once again thank you for reading and I apologise for my bad spelling and grammar! **

Gaius sat in his chair. It had been a week since the disappearance of merlin and Gwen. Arthur hadn't sent word in a several days and the town was starting to whisper.

'Gaius?' And familiar voice called from the outside corridor.

'In here' he wearily replied. 'As always' he added quietly hauling himself off the bench he had spent hours reflecting in.

Hunith walked in. She looked even worse than Gaius with large dark marked covering the area beneath her eyes and a nervous wringing of her hands. 'Any news?' She inquired.  
'No' Gaius had to reply watching her face turn even paler, 'not yet.'

'How long has it been' she all but whispered the question she knew the answer to.  
'8 days' Gaius informed her, trying to keep the panic out of his own voice.  
'Oh' Hunith drew a breath quickly before collapsing to the floor.

This triggered Gaius into the physician he was. He moved round the table to check Huniths pulse, her breathing all the standard analysis tests. 'Merlin' he caught the word before it left his mouth, 'the salts' he completed silently; he heaved himself up to them himself. He missed Merlin, not just as an apprentice but as his adoptive son.

He shock the thoughts from his head. He was the physician, here was the patient.

...

Hours later Hunith came round. She had been lifted by the guards onto the bed in Merlins deserted room. The recognition of this room caused a tear to roll down her cheek. 'He will be fine,' she thought, 'he's powerful, he's smart and Arthur may well be with him by now. They will be fine, all of them. Gwen is smart too' she cast a thought back to her sons friend whom had stayed with her on serval occasions, more recently after her banishment.

Her self reassurance was interrupted by Gaius' enter to the room. 'How do you feel Hunith?' He asked.  
'Fine, thank you' she replied assuming he meant her health, 'apart from...' Se began before the tears began again.

'I know..' Gaius wrapped his arms around the small woman, 'he will be ok, I wouldn't normally have troubled you with what happened but Arthur demanded you were told, he wanted you to be kept up to date in case of the worse...'

...

Arthur sat apart from the group. The knights sat around a fire arguing over who was going to clear up the left over food. Gwaine carried a small bowl over to Arthur.

'You need to eat, sire' he said, carefully placing the bowl into Arthur's hands, 'you will not be of much use if you are skin and bones. Not to mention how Gwen would not longer be attracted to you...' He added trying to make Arthur smile.

'7 days.' Arthur replied, 'we have been out here for 7 days with no sign of them! Not a single clue to where they may be!'

'Arthur...' Gwaine tried to calm his friend down, 'they will be ok'

'They may be dead!' Arthur screamed in reply, cutting out the bickering behind him, 'I may never, ever see them again! All those times I wanted Merlin to leave I never meant it! He's my best friend! And Gwen! Gwen! I love her so much! They will hurt them both to get to me! Even if they aren't dead do you really think they are unharmed?!' Arthur finally broke down. He cast one look around the camp and walked off. He needed to think.

...

'That was your fault' Percival aimed a kick at Gwaine. 'I only gave him soup!' Gwaine fired back, 'He was going to snap anyways, I just thought he best have some food. He thinks the worse, he's hopeless without them.'

'We all are worried for them,' Leon added, 'but they will be ok, we must remember that; Merlin and Gwen will be together, they will look after each other.'

...

Within a short while Arthur returned. However, he avoided the knights, he simply picked up his blanket as moved a short distance away from the rest. As he suspected his sleep was uneasy, it had been since they had been taken. His nights were filled with dreams of Gwen screaming his name in agony; red blood dropping down Merlins pale face; then both collapsed on the floor, unmoving; a smiling figured looking upon the screaming pair. Arthur woke up suddenly. He pulled at his head trying to forget the nightmare. 'It isn't true, it isn't true,' he whispered to himself, 'they won't be hurt, they will be no good hurt, they need them to lure me.'

Arthur sat there for the rest of the night, his head in his hands, imagining the pain and suffering Gwen and Merlin could be going through. 'Why not me? Why them?' He thought to himself; he knew the answer, this was his pain, this was the plan, to cut through him but hurting his most loved. Even through his pain and hatred of the situation Arthur had to marvel the genius behind the idea. These people knew the love Arthur had and could use it against him; Arthur would do anything to release Gwen, and Merlin, from the pain they could be going through.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again! I'm so sorry about long it's been, I have been buried under by due dates for work and exams (I have 14!) as well as issues with ex boyfriends and friends, and stuff like that... BUT I have finally got round to writing something! (be proud) so... the story will go somewhere! Bear? Bare? Either way stick with me :D now sad news I said my friend/ ex (I can't remember what i labelled him as... well him, he has decided not to write the idea he gave me and I simply don't have the time so it may well remain in notes on my phone unless I moan at him enough :D  
**

Merlin groaned, he ached all over. His muscles were tired from under use and bruises covered all his skin. 'Are you ok?' Gwen called, already knowing the answer merlin would give. 'Yeah I'm fine' he said back, keeping his voice from showing the strain, he'd suffer in Gwen's place. For the past week whenever a cloaked figure walked in with the objective to grab one of them Merlin was always nearest the door... whenever food was dropped off Merlin was never hungry... He knew Arthur would never forgive him if he dared let Gwen be harmed and its not like this was a new experience for him.

Gwen watched Merlin suffer all week, she kept trying to be in his place and yet he always was there first, she tried to refuse food but then it would sit there growing old until a rat snatched it. Gwen felt helpless she had to see her best friend suffer in pain, she could see the damage on his body, his lacking of personality and his smile vanishing. She had to do something.

'Merlin,' she began, 'maybe next time I should go in your place...'

'No!' came a short reply, 'that is not happening, Arthur would kill me himself'

'But you are suffering too much, just once, let me take my turn, please...'

'Gwen,' Merlin slowly walked over to where she had been sitting for hours, 'I'll admit it I hurt, a lot, which is why you are not going through it, I couldn't stand to see it and neither would Arthur, let me suffer instead of you, be selfish for once'

'But...' Gwen's reply was interrupted by the door being swung open, two figures walked in this time.

Merlin stood up, trying to hide he pain the movements caused him from Gwen.

'You too' one of the figures pointed at Gwen, Merlin looked like he was about to question this but Gwen spoke first, 'It's ok Merlin.' she slowly pulled herself up.

...

'well, your highness has looked better' the leader said as Merlin and Gwen were pushed onto the hard floor by the two guards who kept them in place, 'is the room to your comfort' she added sarcastically.

'Yes thank you' Gwen responded quickly, trying to look the captures in the eye, 'however, the treatment of my friend could be better'

'Yes... I suppose the methods have been a bit too harsh... maybe a change in victim is required?'

Merlin, seeing where this was going, tried to move in front of Gwen hoping she would stop what she was trying to achieve.

Unaffected by the path she was travelling down Gwen agreed 'Yes, that would be increasingly effective'

Merlin began to struggle against the hands holding him down, this could not be happening! why would Gwen do this? Arthur would never forgive him! He would never forgive himself!

'Agreed' the chilling voice decided, 'But, it,' casting a finger over Merlin still fighting pointlessly on the floor, 'will watch.'

...

Merlin struggled against the restraints, Gwen was sat in the middle of the floor, the figures were preparing something on the other side of the room. Merlin dreaded to think what it could be, the burning had mad him suffer so much, the endless fire in your head, it couldn't end, it raged on and on and what you had to sit in silence, no release for the energy burning inside you.

He didn't want Gwen to go through that, or anything worse.

'Gwen' He hissed, 'why?'

'Because you wouldn't let me protect you, you expected me to sit by, this way its fair.'

Merlin rolled his head back, classic Gwen. Why didn't he realise! He couldn't let this happen!

'What about Arthur?' hoping to change Gwen's mind, 'This would make him suffer too much, he couldn't live with himself'

'He doesn't have to know, they wouldn't kill me, and it's not like I'm going to see him again' her tone became sad, 'he needs you much more... and like they say, you are important... there's something I don't know, you and him, there's something the eye doesn't see...'

A cackle grew from the opposite side of the room, 'she doesn't know?!' a gleeful voice called, 'who else doesn't?' the silence was deafening as they slowly worked through the situation,

'she doesn't know... Others wouldn't... You wouldn't know... Arthur doesn't! Arthur doesn't! The most important thing and Arthur is clueless! You've never told him! told no one... Well, you know what?' the figures began converging onto Merlin, 'That may just be his downfall'

**well... that's a short update for the time it took for me to get round to writing it... sorry for the errors that I assume I put it but I'm typing this on my laptop which has a tiny keyboard but I couldn't find the main laptop so I had to use this :)**


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